Young Mariners shortstop Chris Taylor was off to a promising start to spring training before being sidelined with a sore wrist, but the team announced Saturday that the injury is a bit more serious.
Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik said that Taylor, 24, has a fractured triquetrum bone in his right wrist, which will keep him out for 4-6 weeks, according to MLB.com's Greg Johns. The injury will not require surgery, but Taylor will likely be placed on the 15-day disabled list come opening day.
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"It's a tough break for the kid," Zduriencik said, per Johns. "He had the broken pinkie finger a year ago in Triple-A. Now he's battling for a job and has done a really nice job for us. It would have been interesting to watch it unfold. Unfortunately it's a setback for him. He's a good kid, a tough kid. He'll just have to get back."
Brad Miller, who Taylor was competing against for the starting shortstop job, will likely open the season as the Mariners' starter. Miller played in 123 games for Seattle last season, 107 of which were at shortstop. He hit .221 with 10 home runs and 36 RBIs in 2014.
Taylor was 8-for-19 at the plate so far this spring with a home run and four RBIs. He's coming off of a strong rookie campaign in 2014 where he hit .287 in 47 games for the Mariners.